1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a self-contained beverage dispensing system configured for portable or fixed installations. The beverage system is designed to dispense carbonated and noncarbonated mixed beverages, as well as any carbonated and noncarbonated unmixed beverages in liquid form. The self-contained beverage dispensing system is especially adapted for use on commercial aircraft, railcars, buses and ships or at sporting events.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, beverage dispensing systems for use on, for example, commercial aircraft have required pumps, motors, or sources of power such as electricity or gasoline. Accordingly, such systems are bulky and expensive to maintain and operate.
Furthermore, the conventional beverage dispensing systems which utilize pressurized air or CO.sub.2 in order to force delivery of a desired beverage are unable to isolate, for an extended period of time, the beverage being dispensed from the gas propellant. In short, the gas propellant is in direct contact with the beverage being dispensed. Such a condition is unacceptable when dispensing liquids such as flat water, fruit juices, alcohol spirits, etc., where gas permeation clearly is undesirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,902 (Thompson) discloses a portable dispensing bar that may be used on an airplane or railroad dining cars. However, this system requires a battery pack in order to provide power for driving the electric motor driven dispensing pumps.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,736 (McMillin et al.) discloses a method of and apparatus for making and dispensing a carbonated beverage utilizing propellant carbon dioxide gas for carbonating. However, the apparatus requires the use of a pneumatically driven water pump. Further, the McMillin et al. device has no provision for supplying noncarbonated beverages.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,240,395 (Carver) discloses a self-contained, portable, carbonating dispensing system requiring no external connecting lines for electricity or gas. However, the Carver system allows the CO.sub.2 to contaminate the water supply, since the CO.sub.2 is in direct contact with the water. Further, there is no provision in the Carver system for dispensing noncarbonated beverages such as fruit juice, tea and alcohol spirits.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,190 (Kirschner et al.) disclose a postmix juice dispensing system for reconstituting and dispensing pliable 5+1 orange juice concentrate at freezer temperatures of from about -10.degree. F. to 0.degree. F. The device includes a flexible bag 30 which is disposed in a pressurized canister 32 which can be pressurized by pressure sources such as CO.sub.2 or compressed air. There is no provision for dispensing both carbonated and noncarbonated mixed beverages, as well as a carbonated and noncarbonated unmixed beverages in liquid form.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,590,888 (Coleman) discloses a composite container including a flexible bag and a rigid shell.